FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2695, 19 October 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

FARM, GARDEN, AND ORCHARD NOTES.

SIIEEI' - SHEARING MACHINERY. — Sheep farmers will be interested to learn that Mr Millear, of Austin and Millear, Wanganella, has invented a machine for holding sheep —which has been patented all over the colonies —by which, if the Wolseley machine be used, any man can shear a sheep as well as the most expert shearer. This invention was shown at Balhrat last year, but it was not then complete, and has since been perfected.

Buneficial Effect of Spraying Trees.—The Canadian Horticulturist reports unfavourably as regards the fruit crop of the Dominion. Another report j states that in the Annapolis Valley, the great exporting point, the fruit crop is below the average, as also in Ontario. Mr A. C. Hammond, secretary Illinois Horticultural Society, states that, as a result of spraying the portion of his apple orchard in ISS7, lie gathered 500 bushels of apples, of which 75 per cent were perfect and 85 per cent marketable; while from the same number of trees in the other orchard he had not a peck of perfect fruit. Liming tiie Kitchen Garden.— Although there may be sufficient lime in tho soil for most descriptions of crops, it is not inadvisable to give a dressing of quick lime, particularly if the soil has been heavily manured and the crops have a tendency to over luxuriance or superabundance of top through excess of humus. Moderate dressings of lime are found useful as a corrective of ineertness I after liberal manuring, also for destroying vermin. A dress : ng of 40 bushels per acre is sufficient for soil ordinarily fertile, to SO bushels if tho soil is rich.

Another " Specific " for Woolly Aviiis.—At a recent meeting of tho Fruitgrowers' Union of New South Wales a letter was read from Mr James Holtn, Orango, in regard to a specific for woollv aphis which he had discovered. He said : " [t it; simply the soot from the consunr.ptun of coal, which accumulates in pipes or chimney flues from engines. This soot when collected and applied iu sufficient to the butt of the tree, 6 or 7 inches under the ground, has in any case which I havo applied it to tree* affected with aphis, such as the apple, poar and cherry, thoroughly eradicated the disease."

An Educational Farm.—A novel idea has been started by the Aylesburv Dairy Company at Horsham, Sussex. This is a farm club, the object of which is to give landowners and others an opportunity of acquiring some knowledge of the best style of farming in England. The advantages members will possess may be gathered from the following facts : —The farm, some 1200 acres, is kept in the highest state of cultivation ; the best and newest implements are used, aud there

arc large wheelwrights' and blacksmiths' shops ; over 500 head of live stock —in seven herds of as many disunct British breeds—are kept for breeding and dairying, and in tho first six months of the present year ovjr 100 calves were dropped.

Stack E.vnilak —MrC. G, Johnson, »f Croft, Yorkshire, has published a report of his mode of farming-, especially in reference to his system of making silage in stacks. Mr Johnson rears his calves and yearlings in a covered yard, each cow rearing two calves for a few months aft'ir calving, theujonly one, and getting ensilage as their only food, so as to test its merits for milk production and calf rearing. The animals were healthy and in good condition. His young stock were fed upon ensilage alone, without cake or corn, and they appear to be getting on very nicely. The farm horses were fed on ensilage alone with good results. The. ewes were also fed on ensilage, with the addition of oats, and in the production of early fat lambs, the effect of this food on the milking powers of the ewes proved very satisfactory.

The Exportation or Live Stock From the Argentine Rei'dhlic.— I The Buenos Ayres Standard Bays:—"The question of exporting live stock to Europe is coming prominently to the front owing to the great success of a trial recently made in that direction. The success of the experimfnt was so brilliant that the Minister of Foreign Affairs invited ship agents to meet and assist the movement by making the requisite arrangements to carry live cattle. The Minister presided at the meeting:, and the agents, headed by Mr Christophersen, volunteered with a hearty goodwill to do everything in their power to render the success of the experiment even more complete. The idea of exporting live stock, which was conceived and upheld by Mr P. Lamas, who is at present in Paris, was scouted from the outset, but the success of the first experiment raises the question to its true value and opens up a bright future for the great industry of the country.

Black Cap Raspberries. —It is strange that the black cap raspberries have not yet trained general popularity on the Pacific Coast. A prominent horticultural writes that he thinks it is not so much because there is any lack of a market for them, nor from any difficulty about their culture, but because the berries are too insignificant to become popular with Californianfl. To produce large crops in California your black caps require a good deal of water and careful cultivation. Several years ago Mr Cloush, of Niles, tried to place a largo lot of the berries upon the market, and resorted to several expedients, but, for some unaccountable reason, they could not be sold. The black caps do not sour like the red, and keep much better. Another point in their favour is that they arc easily dried, and, when so prepared, aro a stample article, selling always at a good price. For home use they may be used in their natural state, or may bo dried, canned, preserred or made into vinegar—a delightful and refreshing beverage.—Pacific Rural Press. Proi'itahleness ok Clealiness in Dairy Work.—An American paper remarks that two neighbours, Smith and Brown, own registered Jerseys. Smith's cost more, had better ancestors, and were, when bought, considerably better animals than Brown's. They make buf.ter for the same city markot, but Brown has every pound that ho can make engaged at 35 per cents, the year round, whilo Smith never gets over 30 cents., and often has to sell at 20 cents. A common friend was led to examine both herds accompanied by his wife, with a view to buying the foundation for a herd. They found

Smith's stables not very clean ; his cows, though of fine form and in good condition, had not been curried. In his dairy the vessels, although clenn, had not been sunned or scrubbed, and did not shino while the churn was sour, though cleanly washed. At Brown's tho stables wero clean, had been swept and sprinkled with sawdust, tho cows were sleek and smooth, and had evidently been curried and brnshed every day. In tho dairy the vessels were not only clean, but bright and sweet, and tho churn, although clean

as water nould make it, was alonjr with a extra set of milk vessels, out taking the air, and was perfectly sweet. The purchases were m.ide from Brown, although Smith's cattle wore offerol a trifle lower. Here was a practical illustration of tho value of attention to details. Brown getß a higher price for his butter and bettor prices for his hoiters. His cattle are better than when he bought thetn. Smith's are scarccly so gnod, yet both are good feeders. Both have good barns, Smith's rather better than Brown's.

Fattening Sheep vor Market.—ln some localities under certain conditions, the fattening of sheep for market can very often be made profitable. Like the keeping of another kind of stock, it is very important, if the best profit is realised, that such essentials be given as are really necessary to secure a good gain at an economical cost. One of the most important items in fattening stock for market is a good supply of feed. This, so far as possihls, ought to be secured upon the farm. It is only in exceptional cases that the best profit can be realised with stock if the feed must be purchased. Good breed is another item. Experience has rather plainly proved that a good animal of a good breed will lay on a larger amount of flesh on a given amount of feed than a good scrub animal fed upon the same quality of feed and under the same conditions. In addition to this, it is often quite an item to have the different kinds of stock uniform. That is, if the sheep are all of the same breed and are of about the same age and size, they will sell at better prices than when any or all of these conditions are lacking. A flock of sheep that are of a uniform breed, size and age, will sell at a better price than a better lot in 3ome respects and yet of an uneven grade. As a rule at the present time with all classes of stock there is a small margin of profit in fattening for market, and with many the difference of a few pence per head will often make a considerable difference in the profits. So that it is quite an item to fatten economically, but at the same time as far as possible to fulfil the other conditions that are necessary to secure the best prices.